


The Twelve Days of Christmas

by PsychoPancakeTheThird



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 12 Days of Christmas, Alex has a love hate relationship with the theory, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Magic, Christmas Music, F/F, Kara has a theory, Supercorp Background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:21:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21719839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychoPancakeTheThird/pseuds/PsychoPancakeTheThird
Summary: Alex keeps meeting a beautiful stranger. The chances seem infinitesimal in a city the size of National City, and yet it keeps happening. Is there some Christmas magic involved?
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers
Comments: 3
Kudos: 77





	The Twelve Days of Christmas

It was Kara’s dragon time of year Alex noted as she stepped out the back door. Each warm breath hitting the chilled air had her looking like a tired dragon.

The dew coated the ground with an almost magical sparkle as she strolled through the grass, her hands shoved deep in her pockets. She dragged her boot through the longer blades, watching the water delicately spray. Inhaling deeply with eyes closed, she recognised all those familiar scents of home. It was Midvale through and through. Fresh, clean air that pulled a noticeable twist of sea salt.

She let the air out in a satisfied sigh as she stretched as best she could with her hands refusing to leave the warm comfort of her pockets.

‘I knew you were excited! You’re up so early!’ Kara’s voice called down from the attic window as she leant out, waving eagerly.

Alex softly shook her head with a small smile.

‘I’m always up this early, you just never get up and see.’ Alex really was excited although she wouldn’t dare let on to Kara. Letting on would risk the pure joy Alex would get from seeing Kara’s face light up at every new sight throughout the day.

‘One day you’ll admit you like the zoo as much as me.’ Kara ducked back inside to rush downstairs to the kitchen.

‘It’s not the zoo I like,’ Alex mumbled to herself.

* * *

Kara’s mouth puffed out ridiculously as she squeaked out her best impression of an elephant, flailing her arm in front of her.

‘Do you think elephants are the weirdest animals? They’re amazing, but so weird Alex.’ Kara hadn’t really stopped all morning. Chimpanzees were smart and looked like a lot fun to play with, gorillas looked like they were too proud for her liking, penguins were chirpy little guys. No animal could go without Kara’s commentary and Alex wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The sparkling shine in Kara’s eye as she smiled through her day was exactly what every big sister aims for when they take their little sister out for the day. Only, Alex had the best sister because that fascination with the world and childlike wonder never seemed to dwindle. Every year Alex could do this.

‘Remind me again why you haven’t dragged Lena along?’ she asked with a sniff, pretending that her heart wasn’t warm.

‘It’s the L-Corp winter retreat this weekend. Lena’s in Aspen, which sucks, I’m so boooored without her…’ Kara exaggerated her words with a teenage style flounce.

‘And you didn’t go with because?’

‘Staff only. Boo,’ Kara blew a raspberry and gave Alex a thumbs down.

‘Pretty sure Lena is the boss so can do what she likes…’

‘What… and I miss out on…’ Kara jumped in front of Alex with excited jazz hands at the ready, ‘Danvers sisters annual zoo trip?! I don’t think so.’ Alex rolled her eyes fondly and smiled.

‘Come on, there’s still a lot more to see.’

Kara’s eyes widened.

‘That’s new!’ She manically pointed to a small bird enclosure. ‘A partridge?’

‘Like in the song?’ Alex suggested, and Kara shrugged.

‘Well, it’s a bird… it says right here…’ Alex could no longer hear Kara. Her attention had been entirely stolen without any preamble.

The world started spinning slower as Alex’s heart beat faster. Like in a lazy dream she watched the elegant movements and easy smile of a mystery woman. Chestnut hair gently swept by the winter breeze as she crouched to eye level with a young girl. The familial resemblance was obvious, and Alex felt a tug deep in her chest, a longing for a small family of her own that, as usual, she ignored.

Her mystery woman smiled and pointed to the bird Kara had been so fascinated with. Alex’s ears were hearing nothing but the thudding of her heart, but she knew that the young girl was being told a funny joke.

And then Kara was there, disrupting the fantasy.

No, Kara was worse than disrupting it. She was making it too real. She was telling her own joke to Alex’s mystery woman.

Alex winced immediately because Kara was saying it, she was saying that awful joke.

‘Knock knock,’ Kara began.

‘Who’s there?’ The girl replied.

‘Hannah,’

‘Hannah who?’

‘Hannah partridge in a pear tree.’

Alex groaned internally, standing awkwardly to the side. She caught the woman’s eye and they shared a moment of mutual understanding. They both knew that was the worst joke they would ever hear. And the smile that she gave Alex healed over all that cringing discomfort Kara had caused.

‘I’m Kara,’ she said, holding out her hand for the girl to shake. ‘That’s my sister Alex,’ she bobbed her head, motioning over her shoulder to Alex.

‘Ruby,’ she firmly took Kara’s hand. ‘That’s my mom… you should probably call her Sam because it would be weird if _you_ called her mom.’

‘Good idea,’ Kara smiled with a wink and a nod.

Behind the pair of them Alex and Sam shared the awkward introduction of people who now knew each other’s names but had not ever met. Sam’s bright, almost golden eyes dazzled Alex so that the next thing she knew she and Kara were heading their own way. She was positive there had been slightly stunted conversation, a few dreamy smiles and the softest hand she had ever shook. But it all whirled together in her mind, blurring into a television show style dream, wavy at the edges.

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Being back in National City always came not quite as a disappointment but certainly something akin to it. Those big deep breaths Alex so enjoyed when she was tense were substantially less pleasant in the city.

Still, Lena’s mysterious text had brought her to the nice end of town. The kind with doormen at the apartment buildings and disapproving waiters in the restaurants. It was not unusual for Alex to meet up with Lena without Kara. Afterall, the two of them had a lot of similar interests and they’d become close friends. What was a little unusual was the summons to an unfamiliar location.

**[Lena: 09:46]** Very important! Meet at The Turtled Doves on Sunrise Avenue at 12:30.

Alex reread the message, poring over every word for clues. She glanced up at the hanging sign; two white doves carrying an olive branch framed the name. Her phone slid neatly back into her pocket as she curiously poked her head through the door, scanning the room for Lena.

Right at the back, hiding in a booth she caught glimpse of her. Lena was gnawing on her lip and constantly spinning the stem of her empty wine glass between her fingers, her free hand tapping the table top in an erratic rhythm.

Alex knew that look, Lena was nervous and was undoubtedly going to need Agent Danvers to save the day. She sauntered over with a smug grin before plonking herself down in the chair across from her.

Lena startled and cleared her throat.

‘Hi,’ her voice croaked.

‘So… how can I help this time?’ The confidence that came with her general badass saviour persona was always such a relief that Alex fell comfortably into it. She longed for the day when that confidence would carry through into her personal life, but for now she could wield it to help her friends.

Lena’s brow had creased at Alex’s words, she pursed her lips as she considered.

‘Oh, I see…’ Lena sank back into her chair. ‘No help exactly this time, I just need to… uh…’

Behind Lena a familiar face sat down, Alex had a clear view over Lena’s shoulder. Mesmerising golden eyes studied the menu and a bright smile convinced the waiter to add an extra side.

After some time of Alex absently listening to Lena’s stumbling conversation Sam looked up and their gazes met awkwardly. There was recognition in Sam’s eyes for which Alex was entirely grateful. Then just as Alex was about to melt into a puddle under the burning intensity of their silent conversation Lena cut in with a giant exasperated sigh and rushed words.

‘I want to ask for your blessing to ask Kara to marry me.’

Alex would like to have been cool and collected, perhaps even excitedly surprised. But this was Kara and Lena. Those two had all but been married for the past three years. Frankly it was about time one of them asked.

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_Sticky floors_ Alex thought as she considered what the night would bring. She had been scanning the room idly, noticing in particular the hen party drinking shots at the bar, waiting for Kara to arrive.

She would ordinarily have been impatiently bouncing her leg or tapping a drum solo on the table. But things had gotten trickier since Lena’s request. Alex _could_ lie to Kara, but it always twisted her up inside. It wrapped a chord around her gut that tightened with every conversation. This wasn’t a lie though, it was an omission for Kara’s benefit.

It eased her troubled mind somewhat to think of Kara’s excitement at the surprise. But the omission nonetheless brought out the difficulty of maintaining her poker face around the one person she didn’t normally need to.

‘That the kind of frown a drink would iron out or one an attentive ear would soothe?’ A soft voice enquired at her side as another scotch was placed in front of her. Alex awkwardly craned her neck over her shoulder catching sight of an angel.

The bar lights shone at just the right angle to form a halo behind caramel locks of hair. Perhaps not an angel, but the smile she was giving Alex was as close to angelic as she was going to find on any Earthly plane, she was sure.

‘Uh…’ was all Alex could manage.

Sam slid into the seat across from her, clasping her own drink in one hand.

‘Alex, right?’

She nodded back in dumbfounded surprise. Sam leant back in her chair, studying Alex carefully.

‘Remember me?’

‘Sam,’ Alex replied a little too quickly. But when Sam’s eyes lit up with joy, she found herself not regretting it even a little bit.

‘Waiting for your raven-haired girl?’ Alex puzzled over Sam’s meaning for a few moments before stumbling over herself to correct the error.

‘Oh, no. She’s not mine… She’s Kara’s… Well, she’s not anybody’s… but she’s going to ask Kara to marry her…’

There was the faint hint of a laugh from Sam as Alex swallowed to stop herself from talking. But as Alex began to blush, she noticed Sam didn’t make her feel judged.

‘Isn’t that your sister over there?’ Sam pointed across the bar to where Kara was being decorated with a plastic tiara, a pink sash and an inordinate number of beads. Alex noticed with a huge sigh of relief that Kara was at last wearing an engagement ring.

‘Yes, yes it is.’

The hen party had dwindled, leaving only three of them still seemingly going strong.

‘Hey Alex!’ Kara shouted with a beaming smile, ‘I’m engaged!’ Her hand shot up in the air, showing off her new ring with absolute pride.

‘And you formed a hen party without me?’ Alex said, holding a hand over her oh so wounded heart.

‘Honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t understood a word they’ve said to me. French Canadians I think.’

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Alex swallowed nervously, the tips of her ears burning hot and her brow set deep in thought. Her usually jittery leg was bouncing double time as she considered her next move. She leant forward surveying the battleground from all angles.

She was certain that the slowly dripping tap that she had been meaning to fix in the kitchen was what was making it so difficult to concentrate. Every tiny droplet of water hammering into the sink was like the hand of a clock counting down the seconds, winding up the tension in the room.

And besides that, Kara had taken off her shoes… apparently a long day of chasing down leads in National City had left her with the super power ability to stink out the room.

Her finger hesitated, hovering over the bishop. And just as she had found enough confidence to move, she was interrupted. The familiar little tune jingled from her phone, signalling a new message. Followed very quickly by another.

Kara, sitting the wrong way on the sofa so that the blood was colouring her face red as her head draped over the edge, was bored.

‘Come on Alex. We both know I’m going to beat you anyway. Just accept your fate,’ she said smugly with the kind of distorted voice only gotten from hanging upside down.

‘You’re just on a lucky streak. A streak I intend to break.’ Alex spoke without even giving Kara a glance, laser focused on the chess board.

A third message chimed and then a fourth.

‘Four messages!? You’re popular today Alex.’ Kara grabbed for Alex’s phone, checking the locked screen. ‘Ooh, all from twitter…’ Kara fell deep in thought, continuing to mutter under her breath. ‘Four tweets… four bird calls…’

Alex rolled her eyes with a sigh. Finally moving her bishop to b3.

‘About time,’ Kara swivelled upright again and handed over Alex’s phone. Just as she was about to make her own move she froze in thought. ‘Alex…’

‘…yes?’

‘Who are the messages from?’

‘Nobody really,’ Alex said without much conviction.

‘Does nobody really have a name?’

‘Uh,’ As she began to read the messages a smile grew on her face and her mind was unable to consider the ramifications of answering Kara. ‘Sam.’

Kara immediately scrambled to her bag for a pen and paper. She hastily scribbled down a little note.

_1 Partridge in a pear tree_

_2 Turtled doves_

_3 French hens_

_4 Calling birds_

Her tongue was caught between her teeth as she doodled little designs and notes by each list item.

‘Interesting… very interesting,’ she mumbled with a smile. Meanwhile Alex was blissfully oblivious, entirely engrossed in creating the perfect message in response.

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Alex liked to think of the complimentary contrast in Noonan’s as something familiar. It was a place that represented Kara and her. The big bright light windows draping half the room in a warm glow, and at the back a cooler light lit the room, allowing for a little darkness.

The bitter tang of roasted coffee beans clung in the air and opposed the syrupy sweet smell of freshly baked pastries. And, depending on your company, Noonan’s was either the noisiest most impersonal little café you could imagine, or it was just you and your table, unaware of the world.

Today Alex was very aware of the rest of the world because Kara was finally putting her money where her mouth was and taking on the challenge. When Kara’s Five Gold Rings challenge was delivered to their table, eyes traced the plates movements across the café. And they didn’t stop glancing over once Kara began digging into her quintuple sized doughnut challenge.

Five gold glazed ring doughnuts, filled with enough sugar to force anyone into a diabetic coma. But Kara seemed to concentrate harder on this digestive puzzle than on any chess game she had ever had with Alex. And to top it all off, they could hardly finish their conversation while a waitress was keeping an eagle eye out to see if Kara cheated and licked her lips.

Kara seemed in her element, taking pride in her… abilities. At the same time Alex shrunk in on herself, she seemed to get smaller as her posture turned awkward and shy.

‘That is one hell of a hang over cure,’ said a familiar voice behind Alex. Oh, no. Of all people to catch Alex with her embarrassing eater sister, why did it have to be Sam?

Kara laughed joyously and gave Sam a cheeky smile.

‘No hang over for me, Alex though…’ Kara gave Sam a funny little grimace, trying her best not to lick her lips free of an excessive coating of icing and sugar. Alex meanwhile was nursing her mug of coffee gingerly, wincing at the noise of Noonan’s

Sam’s hand came to rest on her shoulder and she felt a warmth begin to radiate through her. She supposed ordinarily that might have been quite nice. Unfortunately, today was not a time for over-heating. If not for the public audience she would quite happily have laid her face against the cold tile floor.

She needed to get out into the chilled winter air or she was going to chunder. Embarrassment levels would reach unknown territory if that happened, so she carefully but rapidly headed for the door, taking gulping breaths of cool air the moment she could.

‘Something I said?’ Sam softly asked Kara.

‘Five gooooold rings!’ Kara sang, not exactly in reply, but with a shine to her eyes that could only mean excitement and joy. Kara was on the trail of something big, she knew it.

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From the moment Kara crashed into the Danvers family Alex had had to get used to being tugged around by her hand. She had never really considered herself the kind of person that would appreciate being dragged to every exciting new find. But here she was, more than fifteen years later, smiling to herself that no matter how old Kara got, she still wanted to show her big sister her latest find.

If Alex was being completely honest, Kara was often a little stronger than she realised and tugged a little harder than was comfortable. And Kara was always just that little bit too fast to easily keep up with at normal walking pace. Which often meant what Alex imagined was a rather entertaining sight to see.

Through the pristine white halls of National City’s art gallery, a very determined blonde reporter skipped, shuffling her glasses back in place, smiling mischievously and pulling along an only outwardly reluctant sister. Alex leant back, forcing Kara to support more of her weight, scuffing her boots only a little on the tiled floors.

‘Kara, you already told me there’s no boobs in the painting. I don’t know what’s got you so excited.’

‘You’ll see,’ she replied with a grin.

When at last they stopped in front of an old renaissance painting Alex had to shake her head in dismay.

‘Really Kara?’

She only bounced on the balls of her feet and beamed with delight in response.

‘You’ve got to stop this twelve days of Christmas thing. Some of your links to the days have been pretty tenuous and you know it,’ Alex huffed, staring at a painting of six geese laying around a robe clad woman.

‘Hey!’ Kara grumbled, ‘those tweets were clearly four calling birds!’ She folded her arms and leant back against the wall beside the painting.

Alex stared at her flatly.

‘I’m not caught in a magical Christmas romance playing through an old song.’

‘Or are you?’ Was Kara’s quick reply. Though if she was honest, she was beginning to have doubts. Sam wasn’t here and maybe that partridge hadn’t been in a pear tree. But Alex had seen two turtle doves… okay maybe only two doves. But the French hens! … French Canadian hens…

And then, above the din of a school trip Kara heard something that gave her hope.

‘Ruby Arias, don’t touch the art!’ It wasn’t Sam… but it was something.

Ruby slipped into the crowd of school children before she could be caught and snuck away from the pack. Art was apparently less interactive than Ruby would have liked.

With hands deep in her pockets and sullen look on her face she finally looked up and found something interesting.

‘Hey, I know you guys,’ she said with a light of interest sparking in her eyes.

‘Ruby right?’ Alex straightened up. ‘Did you know that rubies are one of the toughest gemstones?’

‘Only diamonds are tougher,’ Ruby said with pride.

‘She’s smart _and_ she’s tough, that’s a deadly combo,’ Alex held out her fist ready for Ruby to bump.

Kara began humming the twelve days of Christmas with a dopey grin.

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Alex couldn’t really believe she had listened to Kara. It was, quite possibly, the worst most ill thought, most unlikely theory Kara had ever come up with. And yet, here Alex was in the park on a walk.

Winter had very definitely set in. The dew that before had sprayed at her footfall, now glazed the grass in frost. There was a chill wind that made Alex dig her hands into her pockets deeper than usual and pinked her cheeks. Although actually, while she was thinking about it, the pink cheeks could have been to do with her company.

As she ambled through National City park, she ducked her head shyly more than usual, and fought for the right words more than was her normal. On her left was a lazy river cutting its way through the land. And on her right… Alex wasn’t sure she had the words to describe the woman on her right.

‘What did you do before you were a cop?’ Sam asked with genuine interest.

‘I worked in a lab believe it or not,’ Alex nervously spoke, worried that her inconsistent career choice would make her appear flaky. Not that she wanted to appear particularly reliable for any reason at all…

‘Not enough action in the lab?’ Sam broke through Alex’s anxious thoughts with a gleaming smile and soothing voice.

‘Something like that,’ Alex nervously laughed.

Their conversation continued pleasantly as they walked on towards a pond at the centre of the park, framed with frozen reeds. They had drifted towards each other along the path so that now as they moved their shoulders occasionally brushed. Each time sending a new wave of jolting electricity through Alex.

They came to a quiet stop at the waters edge, admiring the park wildlife together in silence. It was then that Alex knew she would never meet anyone quite like Sam for the rest of her life. She had found that person with which silence wasn’t uncomfortable.

She had no idea which of them had done it but somehow Alex’s hand had left her pocket and was being gently held by Sam’s. The cold air didn’t bother her in the least while she had the soft warmth of Sam’s hand.

When she saw swans swimming in the pond, she had to count them. Seven swans swimming merrily as a huge grin spread across Alex’s face.

There was no way Kara would let this go now.

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Alex was on a mission. Maybe not the most important mission of her life, though Kara would have argued otherwise.

Their local store had run out of milk and she had volunteered to head a few blocks over to a more reliable store because Kara was not going to be very merry if they didn’t stick to tradition and make eggnog.

Alex was also very aware that if Kara’s theory was correct, she should have headed down to a dairy farm and found eight maids milking to encourage Sam to appear out of nowhere. Lena had even suggested as much, with a devilish little smirk.

Alex was a woman of science and logic. Yet Kara’s completely illogical theory occupied her mind on her walk.

‘It doesn’t have to make sense Alex, it’s Christmas magic,’ Kara had said with a huge grin.

‘Christmas magic…’ Alex muttered as she ambled along. She shook her head incredulously and decided to focus her attention on a little game she had created when on stakeouts. Creating lives for complete strangers in her head, and there were plenty of people around doing last minute Christmas shopping.

It wasn’t until she was in the store, deciding which milk to buy that Kara’s theory crossed her mind again. Three brands sat waiting to be chosen.

Dairyland, Clover or Milkmaid.

Alex’s hand hovered over the eight pints of Milkmaid milk, her stomach tightened in anticipation and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Another hand gently brushed against hers, before quickly pulling away.

‘Oh, sorry. I was too busy reading my list, didn’t see you,’ an all too familiar voice said.

Alex whirled to see Sam, still staring at her rather extensive shopping list. Her jaw dropped, and she rubbed her eyes quickly.

‘Sam?’ She looked up and an instant smile plastered itself on her face.

‘Oh, Alex. Hi.’ Her wide smile somehow seemed to grow. ‘We really must stop meeting like this,’ she said with a wink.

Alex nervously laughed, ducking her head and wiping her palms down her trousers.

She may have been later back with the milk than Kara was expecting.

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The obligatory Christmas parties rolled around, and it seemed that the biggest most exclusive of them all was Lena’s. Alex passively sipped on a glass of some festive alcohol concoction that she was fairly certain Kara had had a hand in.

She had to admit, even if only to herself, that Kara’s theory was wheedling its way into something close to believable. She had already begun a head count of ladies. Far more than nine, none dancing despite the flowing alcohol and festive music. And there was no sign of Sam anyway.

She rocked on her heels and glanced around at the courtyard. She wondered how L-Corp always seemed to have access to a courtyard large enough for this kind of party, despite not actually owning one. Throw enough money at it and its yours she supposed.

It was the epitome of Christmas. Decorations tastefully strung up, a live band belting out the classics, and just the right number of office drunks to keep things civilized. Though she noted that perhaps Lucy and Vasquez weren’t too far behind. They had been all but circling each other all year and now they were very much in each other’s personal space.

Alex turned away and was swept along by Kara in a hurry.

‘Come on Alex, it’s my favourite!’ Somehow Alex found herself in the middle of an uncomfortably sparsely populated dancefloor. The music had slowed and dampened. The tubular bells induced Alex’s dread.

Kara was about to make an idiot of herself. And Alex would be dragged down with her.

_‘I don’t want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need!’_ Kara was practically vibrating her dance as she started to sing loudly. Her hand lunged out and grabbed Alex’s. This was it; she was marked as a Christmas dork.

‘ _Don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree!’_ Alex sang back and joined Kara’s erratic moves. In their tipsy state, it didn’t take long for Vasquez and Lucy to join them. Eliza and Lena had no choice because in an ambitious move Kara targeted them both next, dragging them one in each hand.

Six.

That was six. Nothing to write home about.

Jess, with a wine bottle in hand, managed to carve a trail between them all as she bounced around. But the biggest shock was learning that not only could Cat dance, and dance well, she couldn’t help joining in the karaoke chorus to ‘ _All I Want For Christmas_ ’.

Eight.

Still not nine.

Laughter wove its way through the singing on the dancefloor. The song continued and began to fade into the next, something just as upbeat, but it drew Kara and Lena closer.

It had been a mistake to let herself believe that she was experiencing anything close to magic. She felt her movements slowing, ready to stop completely. Her gaze drifted around, in search of something she would never confess.

‘You know, I think if Kara managed to get Lady Lanham to dance, I think that would count,’ Lena mused quietly to Alex, eyes tearing from Kara’s.

Kara’s face lit up, ready to serve as herald of the Christmas magic.

‘Count for what?’ Sam asked, as Jess dragged her on through in a two-person conga.

Alex’s jaw dropped and she barely managed to stutter out a response.

‘You’re here…’

Kara’s face sparked with and Lena put the pieces together with a smirk. She subtly danced Kara away from the budding romance.

Nine ladies dancing.

Alex felt warmth and hope spreading in her chest as Sam’s smile sparkled amongst the twinkling fairy lights.

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Winn was up to something. Alex was certain. The difficulty was figuring out what he had to gain by convincing Alex to come along to the National City Christmas lights switch on.

It was actually a miracle that Alex wasn’t on duty making sure that the event went off without a hitch. This year’s switch on was bigger than ever before. Mostly thanks to Maxwell Lord’s decision to throw money and tech at the city.

There would be not one but two giant Christmas trees pride of place in the National City Plaza this year. One the traditional beauty, the other a towering flickering hologram. Exactly the kind of artificial crap that Alex didn’t care for in the least, yet there she stood, huffing out her dragon breath, jostled between Winn and Kara. The pair of whom seemed to share a devious plan, given the number of knowing glances between them.

As Lord strode out on to the stage, chest puffed proudly, Alex rolled her eyes. The music that had been blasting out at hear ringing levels was mercifully muted, but unfortunately it was to let Lord speak.

‘Good evening Nation City!’ He all but shouted into the microphone.

‘Do we really have to be here?’ Alex grumbled to Kara, who squeezed her close and laughed.

‘Absolutely. It’s Christmas magic imperative.’

There was sense of dread again. Nine fragments of evidence for Kara’s theory was compelling. But Alex had gotten into plenty of trouble listening to Kara’s crazy ideas in the past. Ever since the Christmas heist of ’98 Alex had learned, forgotten, and learned again that Kara’s plans were far from flawless.

And this had ‘Kara’s Plan’ written all over it in big bold red marker.

‘… but the greatest tech firm the world has ever seen wouldn’t just be content to show you a holographic tree. Let’s show you something spectacular!’ Lord droned on.

Finally, he got to the point and the display started. Suddenly a twelve-foot apparition of him appeared on a lit platform. He strode in the usual smug style but flickered through the movements.

There was a unnecessary amount of flamboyance as he moved lights about and clicked his fingers to create the beginning of a tree.

‘I can’t wait any longer. Can you do it now Winn?’ Kara whispered not very discreetly.

‘Well, it would really embarrass Lord…’ Winn mused, ‘definitely!’ Winn gave Alex one last mischievous grin before pulling out his phone and opening an app Alex didn’t recognise.

The twelve-foot Lord abruptly froze, sputtered and frayed at the edges. The twelve days of Christmas began peeling out the speakers and the hologram split into ten.

There were ten Lord’s… leaping in ungainly fashion.

‘This better not be traceable to you two idiots,’ Alex muttered darkly.

‘Aww,’ Kara smiled and poked Alex’s stern forehead. ‘She’s still so grumpy.’ Winn scoffed.

‘Did you really expect differently?’

‘Just you wait until Sam magically shows up. This,’ she gestured to Alex’s tightening face, ‘will melt. Trust me.’

And Alex hated that Kara was right. She was right about too much of this.

The second she heard the angelic chorus of laughter, she recognised it. Sam was laughing at Ruby with hot chocolate cream dolloped on her nose. And the melting of Alex’s discontent began instantly.

She could not believe that Kara’s stupid plan worked. Worse that she was maybe, just maybe, right about this crazy Christmas magic.

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It was a horrible morning. Freezing cold and her water was out. Which meant aside from her crappy electric heater, Alex had no heating.

She grumpily stomped around her apartment getting ready for work, huffing to herself at every minor inconvenience. She had been previously unaware as to just how important running water was to her morning routine.

When she had to find a bottle of water just to finish brushing her teeth, she slammed that cupboard after herself. It was a horrible morning.

Her nose pinked as soon as she stepped out into the cold air and she shoved her hands deep in her pockets. But this was when it became clear what had caused the complete disruption. A burst water main has crashed through the road surface and now spewed water everywhere.

In the cold air the water was freezing across the road surface, glistening into an almost natural ice rink. At either side of the road cars had clearly skidded to an uncontrolled halt, with dented fenders and scratched doors.

A number of people had clearly slipped on the ice because an ambulance had parked up a way down the street and paramedics were keeping a close eye on the situation. Meanwhile the workmen carefully considered how they could get the mess under control and cleared up.

But amongst the sheer chaos there was joy and wonder. Alex’s heart warmed at the sight of children taking advantage of the ice. Some unsteady like bambi on the ice, others future Olympic champions, but all having fun.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialled into her station.

‘Morning sarge,’ she chirped, accidentally letting the childish glee seep into her voice, ‘there’s a burst main on North street. We’ve got quite a few car accidents so I’m going to stick around as police presence to keep things calm.’

‘ _We could really use you in the station today Alex,’_ he paused, ‘ _a beat cop can cover the street._ ’

And Alex was going to follow orders, she really was.

‘ _Besides, we’ve had the reports already. The water company said they’ve got about eleven guys down there already to fix things up._ ’

She really was going to. But… eleven pipers piping. And there Sam was, helping to keep Ruby steady on the ice. Her rosy cheeks bunching to accommodate her huge grin. As they cautiously span together, with laughing peeling from deep in their chest, Alex couldn’t stop the words escaping her.

‘I can’t make it into the station sarge. I live on North, it’s a hazard. I’ll stay put and do what I can here.’ She hung up the phone before she heard a response. That would be a problem for another day.

For now…

‘Sam!’ She waved excitedly and smoothly slid towards them. ‘Ruby!’ Her arms spread wide and she easily joined their circle.

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Christmas had come and gone.

It had been a lovely Christmas. Lena and Kara had tackled the Christmas dinner and volunteered to host as the newly engaged couple. Eliza had stayed at Alex’s place and they had actually gotten along really well. Her surrogate brother, Winn, finally decided not to get her a joke present.

Alex had no reason to complain. Except that Kara had gotten her hopes up and now they were dashed. There wasn’t a single drummer, never mind twelve. There was no Christmas magic.

While Alex had suspected as much all along, what with Kara’s links being so tenuous at times, but all the same she had let herself believe, just a little.

She lay on her couch, barely paying attention to the film on the television, binging on the abundance of chocolate that always seemed to appear around Christmas. Cosy thick socks on, oversized hoody with the strings drawn tight around her face, and still wearing her pyjama trousers. She buried herself in comfort to drown out the disappointment that she didn’t want to say out loud.

A soft knock at her door barely altered her position on the sofa.

‘Alex?’ called through the door to her. She contemplated her response carefully. ‘Alex, I know you’re in there.’

Alex wondered if Kara said that every time, even when she wasn’t home. Or whether Kara had some weird way of telling if she was home.

‘I want to show you something Alex!’ Kara excitedly bellowed while knocking _Jingle Bells_ on the door.

Alex sighed heavily and slowly shuffled to the door. With a huge frown on her face she pulled it open and grumbled ‘What?’

Kara recoiled at the sight.

‘Golly, that,’ she pointed at Alex’s miserable face, ‘needs turning upside down.’ Kara swept into Alex apartment, grabbed a pair of shoes and threw them at her.

‘Kara, I’m not going outside. You see what I’m wearing right?’

‘It’s fine,’ she beamed. ‘We’re only going down to the street.’ Alex looked at her suspiciously but shoved her shoes over her enormous socks anyway. Kara chatted away all the way down the elevator.

‘Did you know that Christmas is the first day of Christmas?’ She didn’t wait for Alex to answer. ‘So, the last day is the sixth of January.’

Alex’s suspicion grew.

It seemed unnervingly quiet on the ground floor. Normally there was some kind of bustle to be heard.

When Kara flung the door open, it all became embarrassingly, heart warmingly, joyously clear.

A few drumbeats began from a single snare drum held by Sam before eleven strangers joined her and continued the beat.

‘Twelve drummers drumming,’ Sam said proudly. Alex looked at her in dazed confusion, wanting to ask how and failing. ‘A little bird told me you didn’t believe in Christmas magic.’

Sam struggled to keep with the right beat, but she powered through confidently. Alex’s smile broadened, completely unrestrained at the sight of Sam giving her all to lifting her spirits.

Kara bobbed along merrily to the beat, gleefully watching Alex’s reaction. As the pounding drums continued Alex couldn’t hold back any longer. She stepped forward, planted a hand either side of Sam’s face and pulled her in for a tender kiss.

Kara cheered loudly and shouted at the top of her lungs ‘CHRISTMAS MAGIC!!! I called it!’

Sam laughed into the kiss before shunting the drum out of the way and tugging Alex closer.


End file.
